Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-09
Inc Governor OF Washington to
the Territorial Legislature.
FINANCES OF THE TERRITORY
review of the General Coudtt;a,s M
the Territory and Necessities
of Its Government, Rec
concentrations,

GENTLEMEN-I have the honor to greet
you, the representatives of the people.
TO welcome you to the Capital City and tsh
wish you good fortune In your delibera.
lions.
delegated by the people to assemble here
ana consider the affairs of the common
wealth, you have in your hands the mower
to advance or retard the happiness and
prosperity Of your constituents. and | feel
assured that feeling due sense of the
great responsibility you will give consci
entious thought and laborious attention
to the trust.
CONDITION OF THE TERRITORY.
During the past summer and autumn |
have visited nearly every part of the jur-
isdiction and have emf Favored to ascertain
what were the wishes of the people. /
found at every point evidences of thrift
and prosperity. saw not only boundless
and various natural resources, but popu
lation of bright and a'tiye men and wo
men, who are we'll calculated to develop
those res ou-ces and make Washington one
OF the richest and greatest states of the
American Union. / also saw that side by
side with material progress the people
were paying due regard to moral and in
teiiectual advancement, as evidenced by
churches, academies and common schools,
not only in the cities, but in the villages
and beside the country roads, Harmony
and good feeling seemed to prevail and the
people everywhere take pride in the com
monwealth and place its, wei are above
their private interests. With such factors
the events OF the future will so far exceed
the events of the past, period for period,
aswill be beyond our comprehension. Our
various climates and the endless list of
our natual resources will enable US to uti-
mately make the boast that there will be
no blank in the census returns.
have endeavored to MAKE a detailed
exhibit Of the resources of the territory
IN my annual report to the interior depart
ment, bat owing to the lax methods of
taking our census and the defective laws
governing assessment returns the exhibit
was not what hoped it would be- ! s,g-
gest that it would be well TO amend the
L
in taking the census. In addition to the
enumeration of the inhabitants, returns
shonld be made of the number of live
stock, the cereal products, the hay crop.
and other items usually included in a cen
sus- hope to be able to lay printed cop
les of the report to the interior department
before you before the session ha. far pro
crossed.
FINANCES.
| submit herewith the report of the ter
ritorial auditor and territorial treasurer.
which together exhibit the financial CON
dition of the territory at the present time.
Il will be seen by the report of the auditor
that the territory is in debt for the first
time in ten years. and that the indebted
ness is greater than at any previous time
in its history. At the close of the biennial
/ period there was a cash surplus in the
treasury of over SS),01Q, and at the the
close of that period under consideration
there is a deficiency of S75, 90. The esti-
mates for the next biennial period for all
items including liquidation of the present
Indebtedness Is S3l5, ca. The estimates
made by other officers. however for the
particular institutions under their charge,
exceed the estimate made by the auditor
for the same purposes by an aggregate Of
$50. eco, which added to the total estimate
OF the auditor makes a grand total of
S475 Coo. These estimates should all be
closely scruriniZed, but should not be
scaled to a point affecting their usefulness.
This enlightened people will expect you In
exercise such prudence only as man of
Judgment would use in his own aft .irs,
which is to practice that degree of true
economy in expenditures, which while
strictly avoiding extravaganza, will keen
every branch Of the pubic service up to
the highest degree OF efficiency. The debt
is Insignificant compared with our present
wealth and population, and it would be
better to ct it stand than TO stint the pub
lie Institutions in the interest of its imme-
diate payment.
1t must be borne in mind. in considering
the present Indebtedness. that we have
TWO very fine public buildings the hospi-
tai for the insane and the Walla Walla
geniteutiary. both of which were urgently
needed. in place of the cash. II must also
he borne in mind in considering the means
of repleui ,hiug the treasury that the cost
of these public buildings is greater than
the surplus of two years ago and the pre-
ent Indebtedness combined.
In order to adjust our income to meet
the ends required, it will be necessary TO
make changes in the revenue laws, and !
earnestly commend your honorable body
carefully to consider the valuable sugges.
tons of the auditor in that regard.
PENITENTtARY.
The reports of the panitentiary bHt~>1hg
commissioners and the superintendent of
that institution will exhibit the matters OF
which they treat. Detailed statements are
furnished in regard to the cost of the new
buildings at Waila WallA aud estimates
for further improvements are submitted
laws creating offices for the institution
and rules for its government viii nave 10